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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. ground — crushed
  3. rule — a law
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. race — humankind
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. ground — the earth
  8. kid — to tease
  9. ground — a position
  10. stand — to bear
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. race — the arms race
  16. charge — in control
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. race — a contest
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. charge — electricity
  22. rule — government
  23. charge — a price
  24. coach — a trainer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com